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Published by Stackpole Books
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
Table of Contents
About The Book
From the American Civil War to the Meiji Restoration, one ironclad warship shaped the fate of three nations across four decades of global conflict.
Five Flags tells the story of a Confederate ironclad built in secret, discovered by Union spies, sold to Denmark, returned to France, and ultimately delivered to Japan. Intended to break the Union blockade, the ship never fought for the Confederacy but instead moved through European powers before reaching Japan, where it played a role in the Meiji Restoration.
Armed with a 300-pounder cannon, five inches of armor, and a twenty-foot ram, the vessel traveled from French shipyards to Spanish harbors, through Atlantic storms, and across the Pacific to become part of Japan’s modernizing fleet.
“This is a riveting history that details the evolution of warfare… Stuart Buxton provides a wealth of information on maritime history here, told in both fact and personal stories of the crew members who served onboard. Five Flags is a fascinating chronicle of the international relationships that determined the ship’s fate.” —Independent Book Review
The book follows the ship’s path through the civil wars of the United States, Germany, and Japan, showing how one warship connected key turning points in modern history.
Five Flags tells the story of a Confederate ironclad built in secret, discovered by Union spies, sold to Denmark, returned to France, and ultimately delivered to Japan. Intended to break the Union blockade, the ship never fought for the Confederacy but instead moved through European powers before reaching Japan, where it played a role in the Meiji Restoration.
Armed with a 300-pounder cannon, five inches of armor, and a twenty-foot ram, the vessel traveled from French shipyards to Spanish harbors, through Atlantic storms, and across the Pacific to become part of Japan’s modernizing fleet.
“This is a riveting history that details the evolution of warfare… Stuart Buxton provides a wealth of information on maritime history here, told in both fact and personal stories of the crew members who served onboard. Five Flags is a fascinating chronicle of the international relationships that determined the ship’s fate.” —Independent Book Review
The book follows the ship’s path through the civil wars of the United States, Germany, and Japan, showing how one warship connected key turning points in modern history.
Product Details
- Publisher: Stackpole Books (May 20, 2025)
- Length: 304 pages
- ISBN13: 9780811777247
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Raves and Reviews
“Five Flags is a riveting history that details the evolution of warfare… Author Stuart Buxton provides a wealth of information on maritime history here, told in both fact and personal stories of the crew members who served onboard. Five Flags is a fascinating chronicle of the international relationships that determined the ship’s fate.”
– Independent Book Review
"Thoroughly researched and framed with rich historical context, Five Flags presents a compelling and detailed account of a unique warship that played a pivotal role in the civil conflicts of three different nations. Stuart Buxton brings this remarkable story to life with clarity and depth, illustrating how one vessel helped usher in the modern era of naval warfare."
– Quarterdeck Maritime Literature & Art Review
"An original, seminal and groundbreaking study, Five Flags: The Warship that Reshaped the World by Stuart Buxton is a truly extraordinary, inherently fascinating, impressively detailed, and exceptionally informative account of the history of the proto-iron ship Stonewall."
– Midwest Book Review
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Book Cover Image (jpg): Five Flags
eBook 9780811777247
